Neil Abercrombie: “I made an appeal in the impeachment hearings on the 19th. I did not engage in accusations back and forth as to what the…”

“I made an appeal in the impeachment hearings on the 19th. I did not engage in accusations back and forth as to what the motivations were or anything. I made an appeal for fairness. I thought that a vote on censure was something that would have given balance to the debate. Since that time, and during that time, rather, I made an appeal to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), the chairman, on the basis of not just only personal friendship but on the basis of what he has represented to me and to other Members in the House. We have heard accusations that the rule of law would be compromised even to the point of perhaps recreating circumstances of the Holocaust. I do not think anybody really meant that anyone opposed to impeachment intended that kind of thing, but that is how this thing has begun to run away. Another Member who was for impeachment indicated that those of us who supported the President had engaged in an obscenity in going to the White House afterwards to show our support. If such a thing had been said on the floor, we would have taken down that Member's words because it would have meant that we were personally being attacked and accused, our character at point. So I ask again today for fairness. I ask that we turn down this motion on the managers so that we can get the opportunity to vote on a censure. I understand that Members who voted for impeachment have now asked the Senate to censure, and so I think that is only the fair way.”